It's Not Like It's a Secret

Reviewed by: Sarah Cropley - Scarborough Public Library, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 9, 2018

Review

It's Not Like It's a Secret tells the story of Sana Kiyohara, a sixteen year old girl hiding a lot of secrets, like the fact that her dad is probably having an affair and that she has a giant crush on her best friend. Suddenly, Sana's family decides to move from the Midwest to California, and, for the first time, Sana finds herself surrounded by diversity. Sana falls hard for the beautiful, smart Jamie Ramirez and begins to wonder if it's time for some of her secrets to become public. Sugiura has crafted an essential story that examines the conflict between traditional and modern values, how racism and prejudices affect different groups of people, and the price of secrecy and silence. This novel is recommended for every collection.

Overall Book Score: excellent